stanford phd gpa requirements

PhD Admissions Frequently Asked Questions

Prospective applicants (phd).

While there are no specific prerequisite courses to complete before applying, previous experience has shown that before starting the core courses students need to have mastered the material in courses such as Stanford's Math113, Math115, Stats116, Stats200, and CS106A (or their equivalents at other universities), as demonstrated by very strong and relatively recent grades. Descriptions of these courses may be viewed on Stanford's ExploreCourses course listings pages. Where this background is missing or not recent, admission to the PhD program will involve working with the Graduate Director to design an individual program to make up the necessary courses.

No, applicants with only a bachelor's degree are eligible to enter our PhD program. Each year's admitted cohort typically comprises both students with and without a master's degree.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Stanford reaffirmed its commitment to perform individualized, holistic review of each applicant to its graduate and professional programs. We recognize that students may have faced significant challenges during the period of disruption caused by the pandemic, and we will take such individual circumstances into account during application review. Importantly, we will respect decisions regarding the adoption of Credit/No Credit and other grading options during this unprecedented period of COVID-19 disruption, whether they are made by institutions or by individual students. Our goal remains to form graduate student cohorts that are excellent and encompass a diversity of perspectives, backgrounds and experiences that enrich the graduate educational experience.

No. In the Statistics Department, doctoral students select their advisor at the end of their second year in the program after having the opportunity to work on research with one or more faculty of their choosing.

No, we only matriculate students in autumn quarter and therefore all applicants must meet the annual PhD application deadline.

No. It is not possible to complete a degree online in the Statistics Department. The department offers a small number of courses online through Stanford Online , mostly in summer, but the majority of courses must be completed on campus during normal business hours.

The Bechtel International Center works with students, staff and faculty and their families on issues including immigration policy, academic and financial difficulties, transactions with foreign governments, English proficiency, housing, and adjustment to life at Stanford.

Please visit Estimated Expense Budget for information about the estimated cost of living on-campus as a graduate student (this is only an estimate; your actual expenses may differ).

Please visit Student Housing for information about campus housing at Stanford, including information on eligibility, the application process, and deadlines.

Applicants to any graduate program at Stanford are eligible to apply for this fellowship. Applicants must have applied to the Scholars program by the KHS deadline and must submit their graduate application by the dept/program deadline.

Students with a strong mathematical background who wish to go on to a PhD in Statistics should consider applying directly to the PhD program. Completing the MS in Statistics does not increase one's chances of admission to the PhD program.

No, you may apply to only one degree program per academic year. An exception is within the Biosciences, in which you may apply to up to three PhD programs within one application. However, you may apply concurrently to one departmental program and to a professional school program (law, medicine or business).

We receive approximately 200 PhD applications and usually admit 10-12 new students each year.

Graduate Exam Requirements (PhD)

Yes - the general GRE test is required of all applicants applying to a graduate program in statistics at Stanford University, including applicants who have previously attended graduate school.

No, we do not accept any tests in lieu of the GRE general test.

Admission to the Statistics Department requires the GRE general test.

Applicants who have already earned a PhD degree, or have PhD studies in progress with a degree conferral date prior to the intended start quarter, may request a GRE General Test waiver by emailing stat-admissions-PhD [at] lists.stanford.edu (stat-admissions-PhD[at]lists[dot]stanford[dot]edu) with the following information and attaching an unofficial copy of your PhD transcript: full name, institution attended, degree earned, and degree conferral date. Use the subject heading 'GRE General Test Waiver Request'.

We do not have a minimum GPA requirement for applicants to the PhD program, but GPAs of at least 3.5 are strongly recommended.

While we have not established any particular GRE test score necessary for admission, the average General GRE percentile scores of recently admitted applicants are Verbal 92%, Quantitative 94% and Analytical Writing 83%. If you submit results from more than one eligible test date we will consider the higher of the scores from each relevant test.

No, you do not need to take the GRE Math Subject test. Effective May 2024, this test is optional. If submitted as part of the application, GRE Math Subject Test scores will be considered by the admissions committee. Applicants submitting GRE Math Subject Test scores are still required to submit GRE General Test scores. GRE Math Subject Test schedule .

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) scores are required of all applicants whose first language is not English. For detailed information, see the TOEFL information in Required Exams.

The University does not accept IELTS scores in lieu of the TOEFL.

A minimum TOEFL score of 100 on the Internet based test (iBT) is required by Stanford University for all Ph.D. applicants.

However, please note that the Graduate Admission's Required Exams webpage also states that incoming students who score below 109 on the TOEFL will likely be required to complete additional English placement testing prior to enrollment. Evidence of adequate English proficiency must be submitted before enrollment is approved by Graduate Admissions.

The average TOEFL score of Ph.D. applicants admitted to the statistics department is 112.

Yes, Stanford accepts MyBest scores, but does not accept TOEFL Essentials test scores or any other English proficiency test (e.g., IELTS, PTE).

You may request a waiver if you (will) have an equivalent degree from a recognized institution in a country other than Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom in which English was the language of instruction. You must submit a Stanford application before submitting a TOEFL waiver request form. Note that U.S. citizenship does not automatically exempt an applicant from taking the TOEFL if the applicant’s first language is not English.

Please make sure to have your electronic scores sent to Stanford prior to their expiration date.

GRE scores are valid for five years from the test date.

TOEFL scores submitted to Stanford must be from a test taken within the last 24 months. Scores expire after 24 months and will not be available from ETS.

Applicants should have the Educational Testing Service (ETS) send scores electronically to Stanford.

Our university code is 4704. A department code is not required. You will either self-report your scores or indicate the date you will take the test(s) in the online application. Self-reported scores will not be considered official until Stanford receives the electronic record.

Transcripts (PhD)

Official transcripts should be submitted to the Graduate Admissions Office (not to the department) only if you have been offered admission to the program AND have accepted, and then only when they are final and show degree conferral. Final official transcripts that do not show degree conferral must be accompanied by official degree certifications. Instructions for submission are provided on the status page immediately after accepting the offer.

An official transcript must be an original document bearing the institutional seal and official signature of the Registrar or is verified by a school administrative officer or is a certified electronic transcript.

As part of the online application, applicants are required to upload scanned copies of transcripts (either official or unofficial) from all post-secondary institutions attended as a full-time student for one academic year or longer in the 'Academic History' section of the application.

If you have participated in a study abroad program or transferred courses to your home institution, and the individual courses and grades are reflected on the transcript of the home institution, then you do not need to submit separate transcripts for the study abroad/transfer institution.

Copies of your transcripts from continuing studies programs, extension schools, online courses, etc., that reflect less than one year of a full-time degree program do not need to be submitted. However, applicants may choose to include them as part of the online application under the 'Additional Information' section of the application.

Multiple page uploads are allowed for all transcripts. Do not send any official copies of transcripts (print or e-transcripts) to the department. They are not required as part of the application and will not be retained.

If the institution does not issue records in English, original language records must be submitted with official English translations. We accept translations issued by the institution or a professional translating service. Translations must be literal and complete versions of the original records. Transcripts submitted through a credentials evaluation service will also need to be accompanied by the original documents.

International students do not need to submit transcripts via an evaluation service unless your institution does not offer these documents in English.

If you are offered admission and choose to accept, you will find i nstructions provided on the status page immediately after accepting the offer.

Recommendation Letters (PhD)

The online application allows you to submit up to four letters of recommendation. Statistics PhD applicants are only required to submit three letters. It is the quality, not the quantity, of letters that supports and strengthens the graduate application. At least one recommender should be a faculty member at the last school you attended as a full-time student (unless you have been out of school for more than five years). Note: If you have concerns that one of your recommenders will not be able to submit their letter by the deadline, you may want to consider requesting letters from a total of four recommenders. This will increase the likelihood that three letters will be submitted by the deadline and that your application will be considered complete.

You should choose individuals who:

• Know you well through significant, direct involvement with you within the last three years
• Will provide detailed anecdotes and examples to support their assertions
• Are truly enthusiastic about writing a recommendation for you, will spend sufficient time writing a thoughtful letter, and will be able to submit it by the application deadline

Letters must be submitted using the electronic application. As part of the online application, the applicant will be required to register the names and contact information, including e-mail addresses, of each recommender. Recommenders will then receive an email with directions on how to proceed. For additional information, please visit the Letters of Recommendation page provided by the Office of Graduate Admissions. Letters must be received by the published deadline. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that letters are submitted to the electronic application by the published deadline. Do not email, mail, or fax letters of recommendation that have already been submitted through the online application.

Yes, we do accept letters submitted by your university's letter service. If this applies to you, you will still need to enter information for each recommender in the online application, including e-mail addresses which will automatically generate the email to each recommender requesting a letter. It is your responsibility to contact them to let them know to disregard this email and to use the university's letter service. Please use stat-admissions-phd [at] lists.stanford.edu (stat-admissions-PhD[at]lists[dot]stanford[dot]edu) when routing through the letter service.

No. As recommenders are required to respond to specific evaluation questions on the recommendation form, Interfolio is not compatible with the online system. Please ask your recommenders to submit their letters directly using the online application system. Please remember that letters written specifically for your Stanford graduate program tend to be stronger than letters written for general use purposes.

Your recommenders are required to submit their letters through the online application by the deadline of the round in which you apply. You are responsible for ensuring the letters are submitted on time. You will be able to see the status of each letter (either notified, started, or submitted) and you will also be able to send a reminder via the online system to any recommender who has not yet submitted as the application deadline draws near.

• Register your recommenders. Go to the “Letters of Reference” tab on the application, and enter each recommender’s information carefully. It is essential that you enter the recommender’s email address correctly so that your recommender can access the instructions and form. Read the waiver statement for each letter of reference and determine whether or not you will waive your right to review each recommendation. You cannot change this later.
• Your recommender receives an email with log in information.
• Your recommender completes and submits his/her recommendation.
• You and your recommender receive an email confirming the recommendation has been submitted.

Once you are an enrolled student , the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) provides you with a right of access to your education record, including letters of reference if they are retained by the school. The law also permits you to waive that right of access to your letters of reference if you so choose. Waiving your right of access to your letters of reference is optional; your decision to waive or retain that right will have no bearing on the handling of your application.

The recommenders whom you notify will be able to see whether or not you have waived your FERPA right of access during the letter of reference submission process. You must waive or retain your rights of access to your letters of reference (using the online application system) before you invite recommenders to submit information for you.

Application Updates, Transfers, Re-applications, Deferrals (PhD)

Yes, you may make certain updates to your application after submitting it: consult the Grad Admissions FAQs for details . Scroll down to ' Post-Submission '.

Updates made PRIOR to the application deadline will be considered part of the initial application and will be reviewed by the admissions committee. However, although the application system will still allow applicants to make some updates AFTER the deadline, there is no guarantee that the admissions committee will review them.

Applicants who indicate that they would like to be considered for the master's program in the ' Program Selection ' section of the online application are eligible to request that their application be reviewed by the MS Admissions Committee.

In order to pursue this option, applicants must submit an email request within three business days of receiving the PhD admissions decision notification. Note that it is not guaranteed that the MS Admissions Committee will accept your application for review. You will be notified via email whether your request has been approved.

Yes, you must submit a complete application, pay the application fee and submit new letters of recommendation and transcripts.

However, if your GRE and TOEFL scores (where relevant) are valid and still available in Stanford's system it may not be necessary to have them resent. Email stat-admissions-phd [at] lists.stanford.edu (stat-admissions-phd[at]lists[dot]stanford[dot]edu) for confirmation.

No. We do not allow deferral of admission. Students who are accepted but cannot enroll may reapply for a future year when they are available to begin their studies.

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Doctoral handbook

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Ph.D. Minor

Departmental minor, individually designed distributed minor (iddm), unit or residency requirements, minimal progress, faculty advisors, gse doctoral handbook and stanford bulletin.

Students are held to the academic policies contained in the GSE Doctoral Handbook and Stanford Bulletin for their year of admission. Updates, corrections, or clarifications may be made after the publication of these documents via email communication and/or memoranda to the students.

Students who have not earned, and do not plan to pursue, a relevant discipline-based master’s degree from outside the field of Education are required to earn a doctoral minor outside of the GSE. The PhD minor must be in an acceptable field relevant to the student’s degree program. The only exceptions to this requirement are when students enter the GSE with an earned master’s or doctorate degree from a cognate discipline that fulfills the purpose of this requirement, or when a student pursues a Stanford master’s degree outside of the GSE concurrently with her or his PhD program at the School of Education. Many Education doctoral students decide to earn a Stanford master’s degree concurrently (outside of Education) instead of opting for the PhD minor. This may provide additional grounding in the relevant discipline. This choice should be discussed with the student’s academic advisor and the Doctoral Programs Officer.

Two types of minors are available to PhD students in the GSE: Departmental Minor and Individually Designed Distributed Minor. Both require substantial coursework from a department or school within Stanford, but outside of the GSE. Regardless of the PhD minor option taken, outside course work should be selected to further the intellectual goals of the student. A student’s doctoral program advisor must authorize pursuit of the PhD minor and the related course of study. Courses used toward a minor may not be used also to meet requirements for an additional Master’s degree at Stanford, when applicable. Minor courses can count toward the minimum residency and degree requirements for the PhD.

To declare the minor, the student should submit the appropriate signed forms to the Doctoral Programs Officer.

Most departments in the School of Humanities and Sciences (H&S) offer doctoral minors (see the department listings within the current Stanford Bulletin for further information. The number of required units varies but is typically within the 20–36 unit range. There usually exists within these minors some flexibility allowing students to tailor the minor to their intellectual goals.

The minimum University requirement for a Ph.D. minor is 20 units of relevant graduate course work at the 200-level or greater taken at Stanford. However, each department may add requirements beyond this minimum. The definition of relevant course work may vary somewhat by department (e.g. cross-listed courses and courses at the 100-level may or may not be accepted). And they may require all coursework to be taken on a letter graded basis, with a grade of B or higher. Also, some PhD minors require completion of a qualifying process and/or representation by the minor department on the oral exam committee.

Specific signatory and course requirements should be discussed with the applicable minor department’s Graduate Studies Administrator followed by the Doctoral Programs Officer at the School of Education. Students can also review the department requirements in the Stanford Bulletin. Only the minor department’s Chair can approve an application for the PhD minor. In addition, the application must be approved by the GSE's Associate Dean of Educational Affairs (in the capacity of the Major Department Chair).

The Individually Designed Distributed Minor (IDDM) should only be undertaken if the student’s interests are not met by any Stanford departmental PhD minor. The student must meet with the faculty advisor to discuss his or her plans for an IDDM.

There are two cases where an official Departmental Minor might not be appropriate. First, that minor might require a course (or courses) with little relevance for the student’s intellectual goals. Second, in some cases a student’s intellectual interests do not fall neatly within the boundaries of one department in Humanities and Sciences (H&S); many important educational problems are interdisciplinary in nature.

The student can design (with consultation from their advisor and other faculty) a coherent set of courses that are drawn from the offerings of one of several Stanford departments. All units counted toward the IDDM must be taken at Stanford. This proposed set of courses, together with a strong rationale for how the coursework advances the intellectual goals of the student, requires approval by the program advisor, Area Chair, and Associate Dean of Educational Affairs.

The IDDM requires a minimum of 20 units taken in departments other than Education. When taking cross-listed courses, only 5 cross-listed units may be taught by GSE faculty. In many cases, however, the intellectual goals of the student might be better met if more than the minimum number of courses (i.e., 20 units) is completed outside of Education. All courses counted toward the IDDM must be at or above the 200 level.

The minimum unit requirement for the PhD at Stanford and the GSE is 135 units*. This is known as residency credit at Stanford, which focuses on unit-counting. Specific degree requirements are determined by the department or school. Up to 45 units of applicable graduate level coursework transferred from another institution or completed in another graduate degree program at Stanford can count toward the 135 units required for the doctoral residency requirement. When transferring the maximum 45 units of graduate coursework done elsewhere or at Stanford prior to admission to the PhD program, students must complete at least 90 units of courses taken at Stanford after admission to the PhD program in order to meet the residency requirements for the PhD degree, for a total of 135 units.

In addition to, and consistent with, the residency requirements, the University and the GSE require at least 90 units of approved Stanford graduate coursework to be listed on the Application for Doctoral Candidacy toward the 135 unit required minimum units for the PhD. These 90 units cannot count toward any other degree at Stanford, however, they can contain units used for an applicable PhD Minor. Refer to the Advancement to Candidacy section of this Handbook or the Stanford Bulletin for more details about doctoral candidacy requirements.

Note: Courses taken through Stanford’s Exchange Scholar Program or the formal exchange program with U.C. Berkeley or U.C. San Francisco count toward the 135-unit residency minimum. Refer to the U.C. Berkeley Exchange Program section for more details about exchange programs.

The academic progress requirements for all Stanford graduate students include a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 plus timely completion of department and program requirements, (e.g., completion of First- and Second-Year reviews; admission to candidacy before the seventh quarter; submitting an approved dissertation proposal; and the oral exam).

GSE doctoral students are required to register for a minimum of 11 units per quarter during their first year and 8-10 units per quarter during the second year and beyond in Autumn, Winter, and Spring Quarters in each academic year. There is no part-time study at the GSE.

Registration during the Summer Quarter is not required in the doctoral programs at the GSE. However, registration in at least 3 units (or in a TGR section when applicable) is required in any Summer Quarter in which a student completes a degree requirement (e.g., First- or Second-Year review, oral exam, etc.) or receives graduate financial support as a research or teaching assistant.

Any student who fails to maintain full-time registration during the regular academic year (i.e., Autumn through Spring Quarters) and does not secure a formal leave of absence will be withdrawn from the doctoral program. If a student later wishes to resume study, they will be subject to the reinstatement policies and fees in effect for that academic year. (See the Reinstatement section) Reinstated students may be held to the policies and academic requirements in the GSE Doctoral Handbook and/or Stanford Bulletin for their year of reinstatement, not their year of initial admission. But, this is at the discretion of the School based upon a student’s specific circumstances and specialization (e.g., some specializations are phased out before a student reinstates).

Failure to meet the minimum academic progress milestones will result in a review of the student’s progress to date by the appropriate Area Committee, Area Chair, Associate Dean of Educational Affairs, research or teaching supervisors, advisor(s), and staff. A letter will be sent to the student outlining the specific requirements to be met and the timeline within which to satisfy them. Actions may be taken, including the placement of an enrollment hold on the student’s account until specific conditions outlined in the letter are satisfied. The Area Committee could also recommend termination of the student’s doctoral degree program in accordance with the policies in the Stanford Bulletin and in the Termination of Student Status section of this Handbook.

Stanford permits students take courses on a letter graded or credit/no credit (i.e., S/NC or CR/NC) basis, dependent upon the course set-up, instructor consent, and compliance with applicable deadlines for updating grading bases. Some courses are only offered with one grading basis, in which case the student cannot request additional grading options. Although there is no specific required ratio of letter graded to credit/no credit courses in the GSE, students are strongly encouraged to take all courses on a letter graded basis, when that option is available. Faculty members expect to see letter grades as part of the progress reviews and to determine an appropriately weighted GPA for minimum progress standards. In addition, many PhD minors and master’s degree programs require course completion on a letter graded basis in order to count toward the PhD minor or master’s degree (contact the individual department). For more detailed information on grading policies, refer to the Stanford Bulletin chapter on Academic Policies and Statement.

Based on similar interests identified during the application process, a doctoral program advisor is assigned to each student upon matriculation. This primary advisor (or co-advisors in some cases) assists the student in planning a program of study to meet degree requirements. However, during the first year or beyond, a student’s research may diverge from the advisor’s area of expertise or specialization, or irreconcilable differences may occur between the student and the faculty advisor. In such cases, the student or the faculty member may request a change in assignment. The process for changing advisors requires the submission of an advisor change form available from the School of Education website or the Doctoral Programs Officer. This form requires the approval of the new advisor, Area Chair, and Associate Dean of Educational Affairs. Students typically select and initiate contact with a new advisor, but in cases where this is not possible, the Area Chair or Associate Dean of Educational Affairs will assign a new advisor. Please read the Good Practices in the Graduate Student/Faculty Advisor Relationship section.

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Handbook Contents

• Timetable for the Doctoral Degree
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• Graduate Financial Support
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• Social Sciences, Humanities, and Interdisciplinary Policy Studies in Education (SHIPS)
• Contact Information
• Stanford University Honor Code
• Stanford University Fundamental Standard
• Doctoral Programs Degree Progress Checklist
• GSE Open Access Policies

PhD students, please contact

MA POLS and MA/PP students, please contact

EDS, ICE/IEPA, Individually Designed, LDT, MA/JD, MA/MBA students, please contact

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PhD Admissions

Main navigation.

The Computer Science Department PhD program is a top-ranked research-oriented program, typically completed in 5-6 years. There are very few course requirements and the emphasis is on preparation for a career in Computer Science research. 

Eligibility

To be eligible for admission in a Stanford graduate program, applicants must meet:

• Applicants from institutions outside of the United States must hold the equivalent of a United States Bachelor's degree from a college or University of recognized good standing. See detailed information by region on  Stanford Graduate Admissions website. 
• Area of undergraduate study . While we do not require a specific undergraduate coursework, it is important that applicants have strong quantitative and analytical skills; a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science is not required.

Any questions about the admissions eligibility should be directed to  [email protected] .

Application Checklist

An completed online application must be submitted by the CS Department application deadline and can be found  here .

Application Deadlines

The online application can be found here . You may submit one application for a PhD program per respective academic term.

PhD (Doctoral) Admissions Overview

Our research-intensive program cultivates the next generation of leaders in academia and industry. Electrical Engineering doctoral students work alongside faculty, fellow students, and researchers who are leaders in their disciplines.  

Application Timeline & Deadlines

Click on the links below to read about each step of the application process:

Did You Know?

• A master's degree is not required prior to applying to the PhD program in Electrical Engineering. • Applications are reviewed on an annual basis for autumn quarter start only. • December 7, 2024 is the application deadline for Autumn 2025-2026. • Typical completion time for the PhD degree is 5-7 years. • All PhD students who maintain satisfactory academic progress receive full financial support for the duration of the doctoral program.

Knight-Hennessy Scholars

The Knight-Hennessy Scholars program is designed to build an interdisciplinary community of Stanford graduate students dedicated to finding creative solutions to the world's greatest challenges. The program awards up to 100 high-achieving students every year with full funding to pursue a graduate education at Stanford, including the M.S. and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering. To be considered, you must apply to Knight-Hennessy Scholars and separately apply to the Electrical Engineering department.

Additional Resources

Welcome to Graduate Admissions

Learn about university-wide admission requirements and processes for MA, MS, PhD, and other non-professional graduate programs.

Your Starting Point for Graduate Study at Stanford

Browse this website to learn about university-wide requirements and processes for admission to MA, MS, PhD, and other non-professional graduate programs in the following Stanford schools:

Graduate School of Education | School of Engineering | School of Humanities & Sciences | School of Medicine | Doerr School of Sustainability

Explore Graduate Programs

Applying to a Professional School?

The professional schools have separate admissions offices and applications. Visit their websites below for information about applying to their graduate programs.

• Graduate School of Business: MBA | MSx | PhD
• School of Law: JD | Advanced Degrees
• School of Medicine: MD | MS in Physician Assistant Studies

Why Stanford?

Consider joining Stanford’s globally diverse graduate community of 9,700 students.

• Watch Playlist: The Stanford Grad Experience and Advice to Prospective Students
• Visit Stanford’s Seven Schools
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• Explore Campus Resources
• Pursue Leadership Development and Funding with Knight-Hennessy Scholars

Students sit around a table and discuss with a professor nearby. Photo source: Sallie

PhD Admissions

The PhD program in Psychology trains students for careers in research and teaching. In addition to a wide range of courses, the PhD program is characterized by close collaboration between students and their faculty advisors. 

General Information

The Department of Psychology holistically reviews each candidate's complete application to assess the promise of a career in teaching and research. Consideration is based on various factors, including courses taken, grade point average, letters of recommendation, and the statement of purpose. Additionally, the Department of Psychology places considerable emphasis on research training, and admitted students have often been involved in independent research as undergraduate students or post-baccalaureate settings. Although there are no course requirements for admission, all applicants should have sufficient foundational knowledge and research experience to engage in graduate-level coursework and research.

We accept students with undergraduate degrees and those with both undergraduate and master's degrees. An undergraduate psychology major is not required; the Department welcomes applicants from other academic backgrounds.

Our application portal is now OPEN for the AY25-26 admissions cycle.

How to Apply

Application and deadline.

Our 2025-26 Admissions application will open on September 15, 2024.

Applications will be due on November 22, 2024

The deadline for letters of recommendation will be  November 22, 2024 . 

Once an applicant submits the recommenders' information, the recommenders will receive an automated email with instructions for submitting the letter. Late letters should be sent directly to psych-admissions [at] stanford.edu (psych-admissions[at]stanford[dot]edu) . Staff will add them to the application file if the review process is still underway. Still, the faculty reviewers are not obligated to re-review files for materials submitted after the deadline.

Generally, students will hear from us by the end of January. 

The status of submitted applications can be viewed anytime by logging in to the   application portal . 

The deadline to apply for the '25-26 PhD cohort this year is  November 22, 2024 . Applicants who are admitted to the program will matriculate in Autumn 2025. 

Our next admissions cycle will open in September 2025 and have a November 2025 deadline.

In addition to the information below, please review the  Graduate Admissions  website prior to starting your application. The Department of Psychology does not have rolling admissions. We admit for the Autumn term only.

Requirements

• U.S. Bachelor's degree or its  foreign equivalent
• Statement of Purpose (submitted electronically as part of the graduate application). You will be able to specify three  Psychology Department faculty members , in order of preference, with whom you would like to work. 
• Three  Letters of Recommendation  (submitted electronically). A maximum of six letters will be accepted.
• Unofficial transcripts from all universities and colleges you have attended for at least one year must be uploaded to the graduate application. Applicants who reach the interview stage will be asked to provide official transcripts as well; Department staff will reach out to these applicants with instructions for submitting official transcripts. Please do  not  submit official transcripts with your initial application.
• Required for non-native English speakers: TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) scores, submitted by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) electronically to Stanford. 

Application Fee

The fee to apply for graduate study at Stanford is $125. Fee waivers are available for some applicants. Please visit Graduate Admissions for information on applying for an  Application Fee Waiver .

Application Review & Status Check

The Department of Psychology welcomes graduate applications from individuals with a broad range of life experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds who would contribute to our community of scholars. The review of applications is holistic and individualized, considering each applicant’s academic record and accomplishments, letters of recommendation, and admissions essays to understand how an applicant’s life experiences have shaped their past and potential contributions to their field.

To check the status or activity of your application, please log into your  application account . You can also send reminders to recommenders who have not yet submitted their letter of recommendation.

Due to limited bandwidth, the Department of Psychology staff will not answer any phone or email queries about application status, including requests to confirm the receipt of official transcripts.

Our faculty will interview prospective students before making final admission decisions. Candidates who progress to the interview round will be informed in January. Interviews are generally conducted in February.

The Department of Psychology recognizes that the Supreme Court issued a ruling in June 2023 about the consideration of certain types of demographic information as part of an admission review. All applications submitted during upcoming application cycles will be reviewed in conformance with that decision.

• Diversity and Engagement in Psychology PhD Programs 
• Vice Provost for Graduate Education
• Stanford IDEAL
• Graduate Application Fee Waiver Information

For More Information

Please see our  list of Frequently Asked Questions  and  psych-admissions [at] stanford.edu (contact us)  should you have additional questions.

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Application Materials

In this section, you will find all the information you need to complete your online application.

A complete application includes:

• Resume or CV
• Three letters of reference
• GMAT or GRE score
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• Uploaded official transcripts
• Submitted online application
• $125 application fee

We strongly recommend that you and your referees submit your application and reference letters well before the application deadline. Remember to review your online application, including uploaded materials (e.g., resume and statement of purpose), before submitting it. 

Please do not do not mail an official transcript or additional materials (e.g., publications, photographs, videos, or portfolios) as part of your application.

• Eligibility

To be eligible for admission to the PhD program, applicants must meet one of the following conditions:

• Completion of a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. college or university accredited by a regional accrediting association; or
• Completion of an international degree that is equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree from a college or university of recognized standing. Please see the minimum international education requirements .

We do not require the following as part of admissions:

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